Humidifier for display cabinet



April 28, 1959 J. R. TEICH HUMIDIFIER FOR DISPLAY CABINET Filed May 22, 1956 United States Patent O HUMIDIFIER FOR DISPLAY CABINET Julius R. Teich, Newton, Mass., assignor to Superior Displays, Inc., Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 22,1956, Serial No. 586,433

3 Claims. (Cl. 239-35) This invention relates to devices for humidifying an enclosed space, and more particularly for humidifying display cabinets of the type used, for example, to display cigars in a store. Humidifying devices dependent on natural evaporation, which have hitherto been used in cigar cabinets, such as pans or trays of water, wet cloths, or Sponges, have been relatively ineffective, especially at low temperatures. Furthermore, the water must be frequently replenished because the size and, therefore, the storage capacity of such devices, is necessarily limited.

The general object of the invention is to provide a humidifying device which is compact and inconspicuous when placed in a glass front display cabinet, but is, nevertheless, effective to maintaining a high humidity in an enclosed space at both high and low temperatures, and which has sulicient capacity to remain effective for several months without refilling.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a humidifying device con structed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-section, taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

The pan or trough 1G, which may be made of plastic, or other suitable material, has a bottom 11, a front wall 12, a rear wall 13, side walls 14 and 15, and a top wall 16. The latter has a long open slot 17 at the rear, running its entire width. Vertical channel-shaped tracks 19 and Z0 are formed as enlargements in the side walls at the rear in alignment with the slot 17. Disposed in the slot 17 is a rectangular block 21 of porous material having a channel-shaped metal frame 22. The sides of the frame are slidably iitted in the tracks 19 and 20. Toward the front of the trough is a float 23 which has a stem 24 slidably received in a hole in the top wall 16.

The block 21 is made of a porous material of a type which will absorb and hold a substantial quantity of water, and will give oi moisture at a steady rate. An example of a suitable material is that described in United States Patent No. 2,417,889. According to the aforesaid patent, the block is formed by mixing a binder, such as plaster of Paris, with an absorbent material, such as nely divided diatomaceous earth, and water, and allowing the mixture to set in a mold. This material has been found to be highly eiective for humidifying an enclosed space, even at low temperatures at which such devices as pans of water or saturated cloths, are relatively ineffective duc to the slow rate of evaporation. The reasons for the effectiveness of this material for humidication of an enclosed space are not entirely understood. Its effectiveness is believed to be due, however, partly to chemical reactions within the block, as well as to the large evaporation surface which its porous structure provides.

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It hasbeen found that when a block of the porous material described in the aforesaid patent is immersed in water, the entire block will quickly become saturated with water, due to capillary action. In the device here disclosed, the yblock 21 stands upright on the bottom 11 of the trough and projects upward a considerable distance above thegtop wall 16. The trough 10 is lled with water so that the lower part of the block is immersed in water, while the upper part is exposed. The device is used in a display cabinet in the following manner:

The trough 10 is lilled with water through slot 17, with the block v21 removed. The block is then slid into the slot and is'held in place by the tracks 19 and 20.

The device is placed in the cabinet, preferably at the bottom. In order to make the device inconspicuous in a cabinet with a glass front, for example, the top wall 16 is preferably "made to lit the cabinet exactly to appear as a false bottom, and a slanting shelf 25, for holding cigar boxes is disposed just above wall 16. Block 11 will then be hidden from the front by the boxes.

The oat shows the approximate level of water in the trough. The trough can ordinarily be refilled simply by removing the shelf and block 21 and pouring more water in through slot 17. Float 23 can be marked to indicate the full andkempty positions. The trough can be made of suicient capacity to keep block 21 saturated for a month or more so that the device does not need frequent re-lling. The metal frame 22 provides smooth edges to insure free sliding of the block in tracks 19 and 20, and also helps to prevent the rather brittle porous material of the block from crtunbling or breaking.

The device occupies very little of the usable space in the cabinet, and operates with very little attention. The one-piece trough and top reduces the possibility of spilling. The block itself will always draw from the tray enough water to remain saturated, so that the rather substantial water storage capacity of the block is added to that of the tray.

What is claimed is:

1. A humidier comprising a generally rectangular water tray having oppositely disposed side walls, a top wall substantially covering said tray, said top wall having a slot extending from one side wall to the other and the side walls having enlargements forming channel-shaped tracks aligned with said slot, and a rigid rectangular block of porous, water saturable material disposed in part above said top wall and extending downward through said slot into said tray and having side edges slidably received in said tracks.

2. A humidier as described in claim 1, having a oat with an upwardly projecting stem disposed in said tray, said top wall having an opening in which said stem is slidably received.

3. A humidier as described in claim 1, said block having a rectangular metal frame with side parts disposed along said side edges and received in said tracks.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,350,348 Gaugler June 6, 1944 2,417,889 Stammelman Mar. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 169,616 Switzerland June 15, 1934 

